A Vivacious Victory

Vivacious (3 f Dundeel – Vivi Veloce, by More Than Ready) broke through at her second start in the $25,000 J Swap Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 29 November at Te Aroha. 

After drawing clear to win easily at the trials on 10 October at Matamata, Vivacious found the line for third when debuting in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 3 November at Te Aroha, and took the necessary improvement to prevail in good fashion.

Ridden positively from an awkward draw (9) by Opie Bosson, Vivacious slotted into a trailing position at the 800m, travelled up sweetly nearing the home turn, and after changing ground a couple of times in the straight she surged through to score.

“We got held up a little bit in the straight, but I was always confident I was going to gather in the leader and she’s a nice filly on the way up,” Bosson said.

“I just rode her hands and heels over the final stages and she did it pretty easily.”

On Soft5 footing, that was soon upgraded to Good4 and drew compliments from the jockeys, Vivacious ran 1400 metres in 1:24.0, last 600m in 35.3, and held firm in betting to pay $4.60 & $1.90 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“She didn’t get all favours up the straight, but it was a nice effort to win, albeit narrowly, and Opie rode a very confident race,” said co-trainer Mark Walker.

“I loved the way Opie used her early to get a handy position, but then she came back to him and relaxed well and quickened up very nicely at the end of the race. 

“We’ve thought for some time that she’s a nice staying filly in the making and the further she goes the better she’s going to get.

“We are eying some black type assignments for her and a very nice filly that Dave (Ellis) and John (Galvin) picked up quite cheaply.”

Owned by Fortuna Vivacious Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), she was purchased for $60,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM and Fortuna Racing at the 2022 Ready To Run Sale, from the draft of Riverrock Farm.

“We need Te Aroha racecourse and it’s great to be back racing here after a few headaches and delays,” Galvin said. “It’s such a wonderful race track and every horse gets its chance.

“Thanks to Swaps, who have sponsored for a long, long, time and worked with the club to do the track renovation.

“We’ve had a frustrating run of seconds and thirds throughout November and it’s nice to have a win with a lovely filly.

“A filly by Dundeel out of a mare by More Than Ready is a lovely pedigree and I’m still shaking my head as to how we bought her for $60,000. 

“She was beautifully handled by Opie (Bosson), and Mark (Walker) and Sam (Bergerson) have done a great job with her.

“We have people from all over the country in the ownership group and we welcome two from Blenheim who are here while on holiday.”

Vivacious is the first Fortuna Racing horse that Kailey Barrett and Ryan Luiten, from Blenheim, has been involved in and did so after seeing her sold at Karaka before going to the website.

Vivacious is a filly by remarkable racehorse Dundeel (High Chaparral), who stamped himself as well above average from the day he blew his two-year-old rivals off the track on debut over 1200 metres at Ellerslie.

The six time Group One winner gained titles on both sides of the Tasman: Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year in New Zealand, and Champion Middle Distance horse in Australia. He ended his racing career winning the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and his progeny have been highly sought after.

The dam side of pedigree is particularly rich. Incredibly, world renowned dam-sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) has sired over 4000 winners including 250 stakes winners and 50 Group One winners, and already proving an exceptional Australian broodmare sire. He has been Champion Sire in both hemispheres, proved an outstanding sire of sires and going from strength-to-strength as a broodmare sire.

Vivacious carries a bloodline cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer. 

Vivacious was strapped by Ahbi Pawar.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz